European Union Recovery and Resilience Facility projects
The RRF, or the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, provides support for various areas to implement investments that stimulate the economy and help to meet climate goals.
The Commission’s comprehensive European Economic Recovery Plan sets out how to boost European economy, promote green and digital transitions and make the economy fairer, more resilient and sustainable for future generations.
RRF projects are co-financed by the European Union recovery package NextGenerationEU.
Planned investments in increasing connection capacity for renewable energy
On 5 October 2021, President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, approved 30 million euros in funding for the development of Elering’s network as part of the support provided by the Estonian Recovery and Resilience Plan. The Ministry of Climate allocated an additional 6.2 million euros in RRF funds to Elering in September 2023, bringing the total amount of support to 36.2 million euros. The RRF investment support is provided to the transmission system operator as non-refundable aid. Since non-refundable aid is not included in the calculation of network fees, the pressure to increase network fees is reduced.
Elering analysed which investments could most effectively achieve the aforementioned goals. As a result of the analysis, it was decided to use RRF support to fulfil two main objectives:
1. Facilitate the transition to climate-neutral electricity generation, based on the Estonia 2035 strategy
1. Facilitate the transition to climate-neutral electricity generation, based on the Estonia 2035 strategy
To this end, the transmission capacity of existing overhead lines in the 110–330 kV network will be increased, and the 110 kV network will be more strongly linked to the 330 kV transit network in order to reduce the impact of interstate power flows through the local 110 kV electricity network, which would block the opportunities for local producers to connect additional capacity.
This includes strengthening the connection between Western and Eastern Estonia in the 330 kV network. As part of this, the 330 kV Kiisa-Paide overhead line L357 will be reconstructed along its entire length to increase transmission capacity, and the 110 kV Paide-Rapla overhead line L187 will be partially raised to shared towers. The 330 kV Viru-Paide overhead line L356 will be dismantled from the Viru substation to the future Mustvee substation, and the existing overhead line will be reconstructed from the Mustvee substation to the Paide substation (the line corridor will be reduced by approximately 85 km), i.e. Mustvee-Paide line will be established instead of the Viru-Paide line. When establishing the Mustvee-Paide line, the possibility of joint suspension with the 110 kV Mustvee-Kantküla line will be used.
A new 330/110 kV substation will also be built in Lihula. The new substation will shorten the lengths of the 110 kV lines in the western region, which will reduce the negative impacts and losses caused by voltage drops, increase security of supply, and connect the 330 and 110 kV networks. The new 330 kV substation will reduce the impact of north-south transit flows through the 110 kV network in Western Estonia. In addition, the planned substation will make it possible to create disconnection points to completely eliminate transit flows, especially on weaker lines.
2. Increase the storm resistance of networks
2. Increase the storm resistance of networks
To this end, the security of supply of Saaremaa and Muhu will be increased by reconstructing the lines supplying the islands from the mainland, from the Lihula substation to the Rõuste and Virtsu substations, and a new 110 kV overhead line section will be built from Rõuste to the L170 Lihula-Virtsu line, i.e. a three-ended 110 kV Lihula-Rõuste-Virtsu overhead line will be established.
The Võiküla-Orissaare parallel line in Muhu must also be built on separate towers, as the lines supplying Saaremaa, Hiiumaa and partly Muhu are currently on shared towers, meaning that if a tower breaks, power from the mainland would be completely cut off.
To increase security of supply in the Sikassaare area, lines leading to the Sikassaare substation will also be built on separate towers.
To reduce environmental impacts and increase weather resistance, it is necessary to cable the overhead line section running over the Väike Strait Dam. The existing overhead line running over the Väike Strait Dam passes through a bird migration corridor, and because the line runs over the sea, it has a greater risk of freezing and exposure to winds than usual.
In addition, to increase transmission capacity, the clearance of the existing 110 kV lines in Western Estonia and the islands will be increased, meaning that the distance between the ground and the wire will be increased.
RRF project activities at Elering began in 2021. In the first year, preparatory work for the renovation took place, including design, publication of procurements, and initiating necessary procedures. Construction work began in 2022 and the last of the work is scheduled for completion in June 2026.
Planned investments in increasing renewable energy connection capacity
The investments made under the program are illustrated in the figures below:
The investments made under the program are illustrated in the figures below:
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Reconstruction of overhead line L356 Mustvee–Paide
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Reconstruction of overhead line L357 Kiisa–Paide
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Splitting the line L175 Leisi–Sikassaare from line L176 Sikassaare–Valjala onto separate pylons
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Clearance increase on line L174 Rõuste–Leisi
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Conductor replacement and clearance increase on line L177 Orissaare–Valjala
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Clearance increase on line L176 Sikassaare–Valjala
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Clearance increase on branch line L175A Valjala
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Clearance increase on line L175 Sikassaare–Leisi
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Construction of 110 kV overhead line L036 Rõuste–Virtsu
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Construction of 110 kV overhead line L170 Lihula–Virtsu
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Reconstruction of line L017 Kiisa–Rummu
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Clearance increase on line L185 Kiisa–Kohila
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Clearance increase on line L186 Kohila–Rapla
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Construction of parallel line L173 Võiküla–Orissaare
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Construction of Lihula 330/110 kV substation
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Extension works at Orissaare 110 kV substation
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Construction of 110 kV cable line section L174 Rõuste–Leisi in Väike Strait
The investments planned under the program are illustrated in the diagrams:
Figure 1. Investments Enabling Increased Distributed and Renewable Electricity Volumes in Western Estonia and the Islands
Figure 2. Investments Enabling Increased Distributed and Renewable Electricity Volumes in Vestern Estonia and the Islands – Mainland Section
Joonis 3. Lääne-Eesti ja saarte haja- ja taastuvelektri mahtude suurendamist võimaldavad investeeringud- saarte osa